Perforating apparatus



CCL 11 1932- H. G. .JoHNsToNE PERFORATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. l0 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l QNN w a, N@ l Oct- 11, 1932- H. G. JoHNs'roNE PERFORMING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 10. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WNN GNN

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. ll, 1932. H. G. .JoHNsToNE PERFORATING APPARATUS Filed oct. 1o. 1929 QN, ,Mim

H. G. JoHNsToNE 1,881,639

PERFORATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 1n. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. l1, 1932.

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. KSN QN EN NN 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 H. G. JOHNSTONE PERFORATING APPARATUS Filed 0G11. l0. 1929 Oct. 1l, 1932.

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neared oct. 11, 1932 I 1,881,639

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE [AROLD G. JOHNSTONE, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIG'NOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW 'YORK PEBFORATING APPARATUS Application led October 1.0, 1989. Serial No. 398,725.

This invention relates to perforating appaof a part of the mechanism for controlling the itus, and more particularly to apparatus for perforating apparatus; l

utomatically .perforating .in statistical sys- Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken :m record sheets, information taken from on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6 in the direction of ther record sheets. the arrows; 55

It is an object of the present invention to Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the rovide a. simple, efficient, and reliable appaelectrical circuit for controlling the appaitus for duplicating perforated sheets. ratus;

In accordance with one embodiment, this Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional lvention ,contemplates mechanism for adview taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 4 in the 60 ancing an original statistical system record direction of the arrows;

leet having a plurality of perforations Fig. 10 is a plan view of a record sheet used lerein which it is desired to duplicate, past in the apparatus, and n sensing device which will automatically en- Fig. 11 is a transverse vertical sectional age the sheet and explore it to determine the view of a modified form of the sensing mech- 65 lcation of perforations therein. Simultaneanism.

lsly with the advancement of the original In the preferred embodiment of the present icord sheet past the sensing mechanism, an invention, the apparatus utilized for the acnperforated record sheet is advanced to a complishment of the objects of the invenerforating device which is electrically contion consists of two principal parts, a sens- 70 acted to the sensing mechanism and coning mechanism and a erforating mechanism Iolled thereby. The result of the exploradesignated generally y the numerals 21 and on of the original sheet is transmitted to the 22, respectively. These two parts are so synerforating device which will thereupon chronized that information taken from a recluse perforations to be formed in the sheet 0rd sheet 20 which has been advanced to the 75 Y 1 the same location as inthe original sheet. sensing mechanism 21 will be transmitted t0 it is desired to record additional informathe perforating mechanism 22 and inscribed on in a single sheet or a plurality of sheets, in a blank record sheet of the type shown, ich information may be setup manually in Fig. 10 and designated by the numeral 23, ,fmeans of a miniature switchboard connectwhich record sheet has been advanced to the 80 l to the perforating device and each record perforating mechanism in timed relation to [eet will have perforated thereinnot onlythe the advancement of the first mentioned sheet .formation which the original sheet con- 20 to the sensing mechanism.

yined but will also contain information com- The sensing mechanism 21 and the peron to all of the sheets. forating mechanism 22 are positioned upon a 95 These and other objects will be apparent suitable supporting framework 24. The om the following detailed description when main supporting framework for the sensing nsidered in connection with the accommechanism 21 comprises a pair of spaced znying drawings, wherein vertical side members 27 and 28 rigidly in- Fig. 1 is aplan view of apparatus embodyterconnected by means of a cross member 90 fr the features of the invention; 29 and positioned in a suitable manner upon Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the the supporting framework 24.

)paratns shown in Fig. 1; The side members 27 and 28 are adapted to Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken on rotatably support a plurality of lower card e lines 3-3 and 4 4, respectively, of Fig. feed rollers 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 and 37 which co- 95 in the direction of the arrows; operate with upper card feed rollers 38, 39, Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken onl 40, 41, 42 and 43, respectively. The upper e line 5-5 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the card feed rollers are journaled in suita le rows; bearing blocks which are vertically slidable Fig. 6 is a'fragmentary detailed plan view in the side members 27 and 28, two blocks 100 V.being provided for each roller, one at each rollers (Fig. 4).

end of the rollers. A plurality of springs 44 are provided for urging the bearing blocks downwardly' so that the upper rollers will `yieldably engage the lower rollers.

The means for driving the upper and lower feed rollers is as follows: Gears 47, 48, 49, 50, 51 and 52, secured to the upper feed rollers mesh with similar gears 53, 54, 57, 58, 59 and `60, respectively, securedto the lower feed These latter gears are interconnected by intermediate gears 61, 62, 63, 64 and 67 carried upon shafts rotatably journaled in the side member 27. As clearly shown in Fig. 4, gear 61 mesh-es with gears 53 and 54, gear 62 meshes with gears 54 and 57, gear 63 meshes with gears 57 and 58, gear 64 meshes with gears 58'and 59, and gear 67 meshes with gears 59 and 60. Each ofvgears 61, 62, 63 and 67 are mounted on stud shafts, and gear 64 is mounted upon a horizontal shaft 68 which has mounted at its ends sprocket gears 69 and 70. The gears 69 and 70 are driven by chains 71 and 72 which are in turnl driven from a main drive shaft 73 by sprocket wheels 74 only one of which is shown. The main drive shaft, which is common to both the perforating mechanism'and the sensing mechanism, is driven by a belt 77 connected to any suitable source of power (not shown). It will be understood that the arrangement of the above described gearing is such that the feed rollers are all positively driven at the same speed and in the direction i indicated by the arrows (Fig. 4).

Disposed between the upper and lower feed rollers is a horizontal. supporting plate 78 which serves to support the cards 20 as they are advanced by the feed rollers. This supporting plate is provided with suitable slots for accommodating the card engaging portions of the feed rollers. One end of the horizontal plate 78 projects beyond the first pair of feed rollers 30 and 38 and constitutes the bottom plate ofa suitable khopper 79 for holding a supply of record cards 20. The cards are confined between oppositely disposed channel members 80 and 81 of the hopper 79, which channel members are secured to forwardly projecting end portions of theframe members 28 and 27, respectively, (Fig. 1).` Disposed between the hopper' and the feed rollers is a vertical cross plate 82` which is secured to the frame members 27 and 28, its lower edge being suitably spaced from the card supporting plate 78 (Fig. 4) to provide a restricted throat which permits the passage of only one card at a time.

The cards 20 are advanced from the bottom of the hopper 79 between the lower edge of the cross plate 82 and the plate 78, and into operative engagement with the feed rollers by means of ai pair of fingers 83-83 (Figs. 1 and 4). These feed fingers are mounted upon a reciprocable'carrier 84 disposed immediately below the card supporting plate 78, said plate being provided with suitabe slots 87 through which the card engaging portions of the feed fingers project above the upper surface of the supporting plate 78. Referring particularly to Fig. 4 it will be observed that the upper surfaces of the feed lingers are notched, as indicated at 88, so as to engage the edge only of the lowcrmost card in the hopper 79. The carrier 84 is slidably mounted upon horizontal guide bars 89'-89 secured to the frame member 29 and is provided with reduced end portions 90 and 91 which project outwardly from the frame members 27 and 28, respectively. A connecting link 92 is pivoted at one end to the projecting portion 90 of the carrier 84 and is eccentrically pivoted at its opposite end to the gear 69, which gear is mounted on the shaft understood that the feed fingers 83 are caused r to-make one complete reciprocation for each revolution of the gears 69 and 70, and since the gears 69 and 70 are connected to the gears 74 by the chains 71 and 72 in a one to one ratio, the feed fingers will make one complete reciprocation for each revolution of the main drive shaft 73.` The gearing arrangement is such that upon being engaged by the feed fingers, the cards are advanced thereby to the feed rollers, which in turn advance them at the same speed as the lingers. After passing the last pair of feed rollers 37 and 43, the cards engage a guide member 97 which directs them to a receiving bin 98 mounted on the framework 24. l

Disposed immediately below the horizontal supporting plate 78 and between the lower feed rollers 32 and 33 is a cross bar 99 which is composed of insulating material and secured to the side plates 27 and 28 (Figs. 4 and 9). A plurality of spaced electrical contact members -100 are mounted in the insulating cross bar 99 and, as shown in Fig. 9, are provided with enlarged head portions which project throughslots in the cross bar to the upper surface of the supporting plate 78. Portions of the contact members 100 project below the cross bar 99 whereby they are electrically connected with the perforating mechanism, as hereinafter described in 4) are electrically interconnected with a brush 104 of a disc type switch 107 mounted on the main drive shaft 73 and comprising a disc 108 of insulating material fixed to the shaft 73. A plate 109 of conducting material is mounted on lthe disc 108 and makes an electrical connection between the brush 104 and a similar brush 110 connected to an electrical circuit, which will be described hereinafter, for a predetermined portion of each revolution of the main drive shaft.

The card feeding mechanism of the perforating apparatus is very similar to that used in connection with the sensing mechanism. Like the sensing mechanism, the perforating mechanism consists of the main supporting framework comprised ofy a pair of spaced vertical side members 111 and 112, rigidly interconnected by means of a cross member 113 and positionedron the supporting frame 24 (Fig.

The side members 111 and 112 arevadapted to support a plurality'of lower card feed rollers 114, 115, 117, 118, 119, 12o, 121,122, and 123, which cooperate with upper card feed rollers 124, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131,132. 133, and 134, respectively, the upper card feed rollers 124, 127, 128, 131, 132, 133 and 134 are journaled in suitable bearing blocks-which are vertically slidable in the side members 111 and 112, two blocks being provided for each roller, one at each end of the rollers.' A plurality of springs 137 are provided for urging the bearing blocks downwardly so that the upper card feed rollers will yieldably engage the lower card feed rcllers.

The means for driving the upper card feed rollers and the lower card feed rollers is as follows; Gears 13s, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143,

and 144, secured to the upper feed rollers mesh with similar gears 145, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, and 152, respectively, secured to the lower feed rollers (Fig. 2). These latter gears are interconnected by intermediate gears 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, and 160, carried upon shafts rotatably journaled in the side member 111; two gears 161 and 162 also being provided for completing the train of gears and for a purpose which Will be described in detail hereinafter. As clearly shown in Fig. 2 gear 153 meshes with gears and 147, gear 154 meshes with gears 147 and 148, gear meshes with gears 148 and 161, gear 156 meshes with gears 161 and 162, gear 157 meshes with gears 162 and 149, gear 158 meshes with gears 149 and 150, gear 159 meshes with gears 150 and 151 and gear 160 meshes with gears 151 and 152. Each of gears 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, and 160 are mounted on stud shafts journaled in the side plate 111. The gear 159 is mounted upon a horizontal shaft 163 which has mounted at its ends, sprocket gears 164 and 165. The gears 164 and 165 are driven by chains 167 and 168 which are in turn driven from the main drive shaft 73 by sprocket wheels 169- 169, only one of which is shown. Thus upon rotation of the main drive shaft it will be apparent that all of the feed rollers will be rotated at the same speed in the direction shown by the arrows (Fig. 3). Disposed between'the upper and lowenfeed rollers is a horizontal supporting plate 170 which serves to support the cards as they are advanced by the feed rollers. This supporting-plate is provided with suitable slots for accommodating the card engaging portions of the feed rollers. One end of the horizontal plate 170 projects beyond the end of the first pair of eed rollers 114 and 124 and constitutes the bottom plate of a hopper 171 constructed in the same manner as the hopper 79 associated with the sensing mechanism.` Like the vcard feeding apparatus of the sensing mechanism, the card' feeding apparatus of' the perforating mechanism is also provided with a pair of reciprocable fingers 172-172 whichv are slidably mounted upon horizontal guide bars 173 and it will also be noted that the hopper with the gears ,161 and 162 provide actuating i means for driving the pairl of shafts and 181 upon which are mounted the feed rollers 118 and 119 which form a part of the perforating mechanismY proper. These last mentioned rollers are journaled in the side plates and are driven by the hercinbefore described train of gears but the rollers 129 and 130 which cooperate with them, as will be apparent by referring to Fig. 2, are vnot geared to or positively driven by the lower feed 3 rollers. The rollers 129 and 130 are resiliently urged into engagement with the lower feed rollers 118 and 119, so as to permit a card which has been advanced to the rollers to remain positioned therebetween upon encountering a predetermined'amount of resistance. The means for resiliently supporting the rollers 129 and 130 will be described in detail in conjunction with the perforating mechanism proper.

1t will be apparent from lthe foregoing description of the card feeding mechanism that a card which has been picked up by the feed fingers 172 and advanced to the feed rollers will be driven through the perforating.;

mechanism and directed lto a receiving bin 182, a guide member 183 being positioned immediately above the receiving bin and adjacent the last pair of rollers 12.3 and 134. However, since it is necessary to hold a card in the perforating apparatus proper for a short period of time while the perforations are being formed therein, a stop member 184 is provided adjacent the rear end of the per- ,j forating mechanism and to the left (Fig. 3) of the feed rollers 12() and 131. This stop member 184, which is reciprocable in a slotted member 187, has its lower end provided with a horizontallyprojecting portion 188 whichv is positioned 1n a bifurcated member 189.

the bell crank lever 190 will be actuated to impart a reciprocatory motion to the stop member 184. This actuation of the stop member 184 is so timed that a card which has been advanced by the feed rollers to the perforating mechanism will be momentarily held in the perforating mechanism proper during which 4time perforations will be formed therein, whereupon the stop member will'be released and the feed rollers permit- 39 ted to advance the cards to the receiving bin The perforating mechanism 22 comprises a plurality of electromagnets 194 arranged 1n a staggered relation to permit thc mountlng of a large number of such magnetson relatively close center lines. A plurality of cross members 197 are securedbetween the side members 111 and 112 and the magnets are attached to the underside of these cross mem` bers. As may be clearly seen by referring to Figs. 6 and 7, it is possible to mount a large number of these magnets in a comparatively small linear distance. Each of the electromagnets 194 is provided with an armature 199 to which is secured a link 200 whlch upon actuation of the magnet will be drawn upwardly (Fig. 3) to effect the release of a latch member 201 of which there is provided one for each electomagnet. These latch members are mounted upon the ends of a plurality of resilient members 202, the other ends of which are secured in a bar 203 which extends transversely of the perforating mechanism between the side members 111 and 112.

The bifurcated member 189 forms one arm ofV a bell crank lever 190 which is pivoted at 191v Pivoted bell crank levers 204 are aslsociof the levers 204 is a selecting bar 210 which is engaged upon its underside lby a'pin 211 secured to the free end ofthe bell crank-lever 204. The selector bars have on one surface thereof a plurality of serrations or teeth 212 While on the other surface a projection 213 is formed.' The end of the bar 210 opposite to that carrying the teeth is enlarged as shown at 214 (Fig.

The electromagnets 194 upon being energized raise the latch member 201 andpermit its associated spring to actuate the bell crank lever 204 which upon being actuated lifts the'selecting -bar 210 to a point where the teeth 212 thereof are brought into engagement with a'segmental gear 217 This segmental gear is mounted transversely of the selecting bars 210 (Fig. 3) and is secured to a shaft 218 which is journaled in the side plates 111 and 112. A gear 219 carried by the shaft 218 is adapted to be oscillated by means of a rack 220 held firmly in engagement with the gear 219 by a roller 221 rotatably mounted upon the side plate 111. The rack 220 is formed on the upperend of an operating bar 222 secured to the end of the guide member 223. Mounted upon a flat surface of the guide member 223 is a cam roller 225 which rides in a cam groove '224 formed in a cam wheel 226 mounted on the shaft 73 for causing the movement of therack 220 in accordance with the rotation of the cam wheel. VThis cam wheel, as pointed out hereinbefore, is secured to the main drive shaft 73 which lalso serves as a guide for the operating bar, the guide -member 223-being formed with a slot 225 therein, the surfaces of which slidably engage the shaft 73. As

.is clear from the arrangement of the cam wheel and cam roller mounted upon the 105 guide member 223 the rack 220 will be reciprocated and will consequently impart an oscillatory movement to the -segmental gear 217. Consequently when the segmental gear 217 is oscillated in a clockwise direction (Fig. 3), the selector bars which have been moved into engagement therewith due to the energization of their associated electromagnets will be moved to the left and, conversely, when the segmental gear is operated in a counter-clockwise direction, the bars which were'moved to the left upon the previous operation of the segmental gear will be retracted to their normal position.

The selector bars so retracted will return to their normal position since at the end of the forward stroke vthereof a pair of cams 227-227 mounted upon a pair of gear wheels 228-228 secured to the shaft` 218 adjacent its ends, will engage a pair of pivoted members 229-229 whichare pivoted to the side plates 112 and 111 at 230 and 231. These pivoted members carry-a bar 232 which extends transversely ofthe bellcrank levers 204 and is slidable' in slots 233 and 234 130 lso formed in the side plates 111 and 112, respectively. A pair of springs 237 and 238 are secured to the side plates 111 and 112 and serve normally to retain the bar 232 out of engagement with the bell crank lever, but upon engagement of the cams 227 with the pivoted members 229 the bar will engage all of the bell crank levers which have been released by the latches and will move them back against the latch members 201 so that the latches will all be simultaneously reset and he bell crank levers will be moved in a coun- ;er-clockwise direction to permit each of the selecting bars, upon arriving at its normal position, todrop into position upon across nember 238 provided therefor, which ex- :ends transversely of selecting bars.

Meshing with and driven by the gear 228 s a gear 239 mounted on a shaft 240 (Figs. l and 3) which has secured thereto and in- ;ulated therefrom a plurality of contact )rushes 241. There are provided contact )rushes 241 which are electrically connected )y conductors 242 (Fig. 8) to connecting acks 243 mounted on a miniature switch- )oard 244 position on the supporting framevork 24 adjacent the front of the sensing mechanism 21. Any one of these jacks may )e interconnected by means of a flexible conluctor 247 having plugs 248 at each. end hereof, to one of a group 249 of similar acks, each of which is connected to one of yhe electromagnets 194.

Associated with each brush is an arcuate' ank of contacts 250 comprised of 10 conacts 251 insulated from each other and nounted so as to be engaged successively by heir associated brushes 241 upon rotation If the shaft 240 to which the brushes 241 are ecured. These banks 250 are mounted on ods 252 and 253 which extend transversely lf the side plates 111 and 112 and are secured hereto. The terminal ends of the contacts 51 (Fig. 8) are electrically connected to acks 254, positioned in the miniature switch- `o ard 244, by conductors 257 and may be inerconnected with jacks 258 by flexible con- .uctors 247. The jacks 258 are connected o ground at 259 by conductors 260 (Fig. 8).

As previously described, a projection 213 is ormed on a surface of the bar 210 (Fig. 3). This projection normally engages a somerhat similarly shaped portion of the member 38 which extends transversely of the select-v ag bars and which functions to maintain the electing bars in engagement with the segiental gear 217 upon their operation by the lectromagnets 194 and to disengage the seacting bars from the segmental gear upon heir retraction to theposition shown in Fig. In further explanation of this operation, will be noted that the underside of the seacting bar 210 has a depressed portion 261 r whlch the projecting portion of the bar 38 normally rests. When a selecting bar 210 is elevated through the operation of the pivoted bell crank lever 204 and is moved to the left due to the oscillation of the segmental gear 217, it will be maintained in operative association with the segmental gear independently of the energization of the associated electromagnet 194, as a surface 262 of the selecting bar 210 now rests on the crossbar 238. )Vhen the selecting bar is retracted due to the oscillation of the segmental gear in a counter-clockwise direction, and when it reaches a position where the depressed portion 261 is in vertical alignment with the bar 238, the lip of the bar 238 will engage the projection 213'and cause the disengagement of the selecting bar from the segmental gear 217. This is possible since at the end of the oscillation of the segmental gear in a clockwise direction the cam `227 resets all of the bell crank levers which had been actuated and moves them to a position where the rollers 211 mounted thereon would be out of the path of the selecting bar 210.

The camwheel 193 (Fig. 3), which is rigidly secured to the'shaft 73, is provided with a cam groove 263 which is engaged by a cam roller 264. This roller 264 is carried by the free end of an arm 267 which is integral with and mounted substantially central to a sha-ft 268 which carries at its ends arms 269 having connected thereto vertically extending links 270. The shaft 268 is journaled in brackets 271 secured to the under side of the framework 24. Connected to the opposite ends of the links 270 (Figs. 3 and 5) is a ram 272 which extends transversely of and above the enlarged portions 214 of each of the selecting bars 210 and which is vertically reciprocable on vertical guides ,273, 274, 275 and 276. As shown in Fig. 5 the ram 272 has a recessed portion 279 in which there is positioned a slotted member 280. This member is secured against movement by the recess 279 and is of a depth sutiicient to permit a predetermined vertical movement of the ram 272 Without engaging the slotted member 280. The ends of the selecting bars 210 having the enlarged portions 214 slide in the slots or grooves formed in the member 280 and are thereby guided when moved to the right or left (Fig.

3) depending upon the direction of rotationof the segmental gear 217. Positioned below the member 280 and secured to and movable with the ram 272 is a plate 281 having apertures arranged to receive perforating pins 282. In the particular embodiment of the invention disclosed in the drawings, the perforating pins 282 are arranged in 45 rows of 10 pins to each row, making a total of 450 pins. Each of these perforating pins is provided with a shoulder 283 which normally rests upon the upper surface of the plate 281. When a selecting bar 210 is moved to the left (Fig. 3) a distance depending upon the time at which it was caused to engage the teeth of the segmental gear 217, a perforating pin in the particular row of perforating pins to which a selecting bar is common may be selected for operation; that is, for each movement of the selecting bar 210 only one of the perforating pins 282 of the row of pins to which that particular selecting bar is common lwill be selected for subsequent actuation since the enlarged portion 214 thereof is of such size as to cover only one perforating pin 282. The actuation of the selected perforating pin 282 is effected through the downward move- -ment of the ram 272 by the links 270 which supported to the frame work 24. Inasmuch as the apertures in the plates 281, 287, 288 and 289 are in vertical alignment, the perforating pins 282 positioned in the plates 281, 288 and 289 will be accurately guided thereby and upon actuation will engage the apertures 284 in the plate 287. The plate 289 is spaced from the die plate 287 a distance sufficient to permit the passage of a record sheet therebetween. When the cam wheel 193 reaches a predetermined position in its rotation the arm 267 will be moved downwardly for causing an upward movement of the ram 272.

yThe plate 281 being moved with the ram 272 and being engaged by the shoulder 283 on the pins 282, elevates the actuated perforating pins to the position shown in Fig. 5.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the rollers 129' and 130 for advancing the record sheets through the perforating mechanism are interposed between the plates 288 and 289 having portions thereof extending through the plate 289 and are rotatably positioned on the free ends of pivoted levers 292. The levers 292 are secured to pins 293 rotatably journaled in the blocks 290 and 291 which pins are urged to rotate in a direction to force the free end of the levers 292 downwardly by springs 294 secured to the pins 293 and pins The circuit which controls the operation of the various parts of the mechanism is shown in Fig. 8 and comprises the arcuate bank of contacts 250 and their associated brushes 241 together with the switchboard acks'243, 249, 254 and 258 which may be interconnected as described hereinbefore as an auxiliary circuit which may be used to effect perforations in the duplicate card in positions which are not perforated in the master cards. Each of the jacks 249 mounted in the miniature switchboard 244 is connected to a conductor running to one of the electromagnets 194 which will be operated by the following described circuit if there are perforations in the master card which it is f desired to duplicate in the duplicate card.

Each of the electromagnets K194 is connected through a conductor 300 to a grounded source of electromotive force 301. The other sides of the electromagnets are connected individually to the jacks 249 by a conductor 302 and a conductor 303, and in addition the con ductors 302 are connected to the contacts 100 which are associated with the particular row of perforationsin the master card which corresponds to the row of perforations in the duplicate card which that particular electromagnet controls. The brushes 103 are con nected to a common ground at 304 through the sequence switch 107, a conductor 307 being connected to the brush 110 of the sequence switch 107 and the brushes 103 being connected through a conductor 308 to the brush 104 of the switch 107.

It is believed that a better understanding of the. invention will be had by reference to the following brief description of the operation thereof: Assume that a number of master cards having information perforated therein in the first eight and last three rows of the cards are positioned in the hopper 79 `and assume that a number of blank cards are posi. tioned in the hopper 171, and it is desired to perforate in the blank cards the information shown in the first eight and last three rows of the master card, together with other information which is common to all of the cards to be perforated. The common information, it will be assumed, is to be perforated in rows 38 to 42 of the blank card.-

Upon starting the motor (not shown) which drives the pulley 193, the main drive shaft 73 will be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction. This will cause the bottom cards in the hoppers 79 and 171 to be picked up by the fingers 83 and 172, respectively, and simultaneously advanced by means of the series of card feed rollers past the sensing mechanism and into the perforatirig mechanism. The master card in being advanced through the sensing mechanism will engage the brushes 103 andv disengage them from their associated contacts 100 except when a perforation occurs in the row-associated with that particular brush at which time a circuit vwill be completed (Fig. 8) from ground through the sequence switch 107 which is closed immediately .after the edge of the master card separates the brushes 103 and contact 100 and the conductor 302 tothe electromagnet 194 which is connected to grounded battery 301.v

In this manner the electromagnets 194 associated with the rows of the master card which have perforations therein will-be energized at predetermined intervals depending upon the point in the row at which a perforation occurs and will move the selector bars into engagement with the segmental gear. Since the segmental' lgear which drives the selector bar forward is rotated in timed relation to thc passage of the master card under the brushes 103 of the sensing mechanism, the perforations in the master card will be duplicated in the blank or duplicate card.

If it is desired to record additional information on a card the jacks in the miniature switchboard 244 may be interconnected to place ground on certain terminals of the arcuate banksv of contacts 250 whereupon, since the brushes 241 move in timed relation to the rotation of the segmental gear 217, the brushes will successively engage all of the contacts of the bank 250 with which they are 'associated and upon engagement the contacts which have ground thereon will complete circuits from the ground 259 through the jack 258, flexible conductor 247 to 'the selected contact of the bank 250 and from there to the brush 241, interconnected jacks 243 and 249, the conductor 302 to one side of the electromagnet 194, the other side of which is connected to the grounded source of electromotive force at 301. When such a circuit'is completed, the electromagnet 194 will be energized and will release its latch 201 permitting the spring 207 to actuate the bell crank lever 204 for moving its associated selector bar 210 into engagement with the segmental gear. The segmental gear will thereupon move the selector bar to the left (Fig. 3) where it will be actuated by the ram 272,'together with the other selector bars which have been advanced in response to perforations in the master card, to perforate the information in the blank or duplicate card.

vFor example, let it be assumed that the master card which is to be duplicated has rows in each of which any one of ten positions may be perforated (this is the usuall type of vstatistical system record card) and that in the master card, row one has the third position from the top perforated, row two has the fifth position from the top perforated, rowthree has the seventh positionfrom the top perforated, row four has the ninth position-from the top perforated, row five has the first position froml the top-perforated, row six has the tenth position from the top perforated, row seven has the eighth position from the top perforated,row eighthas the sixth position from the top perforated, row forty-three has the second position from the top perforated, row forty-four has the fourth lposition `from the top perforated, and row row on the duplicate card, this last mentioned group of perforations it being understood are not on the master card. In order to perforate in the blank record card this last mentioned group of perforations, it will be necessary to yinterconnect the following jacks on the miniature switchboard 244-by means of the v flexible conductors 247 :Jack 38 of group 249 with jack 1 of group 243 and jack 3 of row 1 of group 254 with jack 1 of group 258; jack 39 of group 249 with jack 2 of group 243 and jack 2 of row 2 of group 254 with jack 2 of group 258; jack 40 of group 249 with jack 3 of group 243 and jack 1 of row 3 of group 254 with jack 3 of group 258; jack 41 of group 249 with jack 4 of group 243 and jack 0 of row 4 of group 254 with ]ack 4 of ,group 258; jack 42 of group 249 with jack 5 of group 243 and jack '2 of row 5 of group 254 with jack 5 of group 258.

Upon the motor (not shown) being started, the master card described herein and a blank card will be picked up from the bottom of their respective hoppers and advanced to thev sensing mechanism and the perforating mechanism, respectively. The master card will, of course, be timed in its advance so that it will have just passed the brushes 103 of the sensing mechanism when the blank card engages the stops 184 of the perforating mechanism.` As described hereinbefore, the master cards will cause circuits to be completed to energize the electromagnets 194 at intervals which correspond to one-tenth of the cycle of the segmental gear on its oscillation in a clockwise direction.

` In the particular example selected, the master card will complete circuits in the first one-tenth of the cycle of the segmental gear in a clockwise direction to energize the magnets associated with the selector bars in line with the fifth and forty-fifth rows of possible perforations in the blank card and in the4 same manner at the second one-tenth cycle the magnet 194 for row forty-three will be energized, at the third one-tenth cycle the mag- 7 net for row one will be energized, at the fourthone-tenth cycle the magnet for row forty-four will be energized, at the fifth onetenth cycle the magnet for row two will be-` energized, at the ninth one-tenth cycle the magnet for row four will be energized, and at the `tenthone-tenth cycle the magnet for row lsix will be energized.

Simultaneously with the completion of circuits for operating the electromagnets 194. in accordance with perforations in the master card the brushes 241 will complete circuits to energize in the first one-tenth cycle, the magnet for row forty-one, in the second one-tenth cycle the magnet for row forty, in the third one-tenth cycle the magnets for rows thirty' nine and forty-two, and in the-fourth onetenth cycle the magnet for row thirty-eight. The energization of the electromagnets will, at the various points" in the clockwise oscillation of the segmental gear, move the selector hars into engagement with-the gear which will in turn advance them a distance depend- -ent upon the time at which they were moved into engagementtherewith., At the end of the.- oscillation of the segmental gear in a` clockwise direction, the ram 272 will be moved downwardly to cause the selected`selector bars vto drivel their associated selected perforating pins downwardly through the card.

After the ca d has been so perforated the ram 272 will ghe retracted to the position i shown in Figs. 3 and 5' and the stop member Although theinvention has been described- -herein specifically, it is to be understood that this is only one embodiment of the invention and that various other embodiments maybe provided without departing from the scope thereof, which is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims. For example, another embodiment of the selecting mechanism which might be used is shown in Fig.

11 wherein a plurality of master cardsare positioned in a hopper 311 from which they may be drawn by feed lingers 312 mounted on the `end of connecting links 313, all o f which mechanism is constructed and operated in the same manner as that described in connection with the preferred embodiment of the invention. Likewise, there is provided a plurality of card feed rollers 314 for advancing the card picked up by the feed lingers 312 to -a sensing mechanism 317. The sensing mechanism 317 comprises a ram 318 of a type somewhat similar to that used in connection with the perforating mechanism described in the preferred embodiment of the invention which may be reciprocated by a .pair of links 319 mounted on the end of a pivoted lever 320, the free end of which carries a cam roller 321. The cam roller 321 rides in a cam groove 322 formed in a cam Awheel 323 secured tothe main drive shaft 73.

The sensing mechanism 317 is also pro vided with a card stop 324 which is reciprocable in'a guide member 327 and which carries a roller 328 on the lower end thereof. The roller 328 is positioned 'in avbifurcated portion329 of a bell crank lever 330 pivoted at 331 to the under side of the supporting framework 24. Rotatable upon the free end of the bell crank lever 330 is acam roller 332 which engages a camming surface 333 on the cam wheel 323. This cam is so formed that the card vstop 324 will be moved upwardly to retard the advance of a master card for a short interval while the ram is moved downwardlyA to sense the card which has 'been stopped thereunder, after which the card feed rollers 314 l,will be permitted to advance the card to a receiving bin 334. The sensing mechanism which is mounted on the ram 318 comprises a plurality of spring pressed iingers 337 all of which are connected to a grounded battery. The ram carrying these fingers will be moved downwardly during the interval when a card is positioned thereunder and thoseiingerd under which perforations are located will be permitted to pass through the card and engage selectively contact member 338 which are connected by conductors (not shown) to the terminal ends of a plurality of contacts similar to those shown in the arcuate banks of contacts 250. The ram 318 would be held in its lowermost position during the oscillation of the segmental'gear 217 in ya clockwise direction and then released.

It will thus be apparent that the circuits necessary to be completed for the operation of the perforating mechanism in response to the perforations in a master card maybe accomplished by meansof this mechanism as well as by the mechanism described in connection with the preferred embodiment of the invention.

What is claimed is: V-1. In a perforating apparatus, a plurality of perforating members, selecting elements associated therewith for controlling their operation, means for conditioning said selecting elements for operation, means responsive to the allocations of perforations in a record sheet for controlling said last mentioned means, means for actuating the conditioned ones of said selecting elements, y

and means for causing the actuated selecting elements to actuate the perforating members. 2. In an apparatus for duplicating record sheets, the combination with means for taking information from record sheets, of a perforating mechanism including a plurality of perforators, selector bars associated with the 5 controlled `by the means for taking information from record sheets for moving the selector bars into association with the advancing means.

3. The combination with a mechanism for taking information from continuously fed record sheets of a perforating mechanism comprising a plurality of pcrforators, a

plurality of electromagnets associated with the means for taking information from continuously fed record sheets, a plurality of selector bars means for advancing the selector bars to select perforators for actuation, and means controlled by said electromagnets for moving the selector bars into operative association with said advancing means.

4. In an apparatus for duplicating record sheets, the combination with means for taking information from record sheets of a perforating mechanism including a plurality of perforators arranged in denominational rows, a selector bar associated with each' row of perforators, means common to all of said selector bars for advancing them into operative association with perforators in their associated rows, and means controlled by the means for taking information from record sheets for operatively engaging the selector bars with the common advancing means.

5. In an apparatus for duplicating record sheets, a plurality of sensing brushes for engaging record sheets t0 complete circuits through perforations therein, a plurality of perforating pins, selector bars common to certain of said perforating pins, means for advancing sald selector bars, and means con-v trolld by said brushes for effecting an operative engagement between said advancing means and said selector bars.

6. In an apparatus for duplicating record sheets, a plurality of contact members, a plurality of brushes associated with the contact members, means for advancing perfo-v rated record sheets between the contact members and their associated brushes to disengageA the brushes from the contact members except where perforations occur in the record sheet, a plurality of perforators, selector bars associated with the perforators, means for advancing the selector bars into operative association Awith the perforators, a plurality of electromagnets energized upon engagement of the brushes with the contact members through the perforations in a record sheet for connecting the selector bars with the advancing means.

7. In an appartus for duplicating perforated record sheets, sensing means for determining the location of perforations in the perforated record sheet, a plurality of perforating members, a plurality of selectors having racks formed on one side thereof, a'segmental gear common to all said selectors, and means controlled by said sensing means for causing said rack to enga e with said segmental gear for selecting per orators for actuation.

8. In an appartus for duplicating perforated records sheets, sensing means for determining the location of perforations in the perforated record sheet, a plurality of perorating members, a plurailty of selectors having racks formed on one side thereof, a segmental gear common to all said selectors, means controlled by frsaid sensing means for causing said rack to engage with said segmental gear for selecting perforators for actuation, and means for lactuating said selector bars to cause them to actuate the perforators.l

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 27th day of September, A. D.,

HAROLD G. JOHNSTONE. 

